![[box cover]](../../reviewimgs/g/godfathercollection.jpg)
The Godfather DVD Collection
The first two-thirds of the Godfather film canon paint an indelible, stunning, and heartbreaking portrait of the United States' two most important institutions: the family and capitalism. With just over six hours to execute an epic plot, director Francis Ford Coppola announces himself as a bold master of narrative and, most importantly, texture, building an incredible and engulfing structure of mythology. The cast is unparalleled: Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, Al Pacino as Michael, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, James Caan as Sonny, Robert DeNiro as young Vito Corleone, Michael V. Gazzo as Frankie Pentangeli, Diane Keaton as Kay Adams, Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth, John Cazale as Fredo. And the list doesn't stop there. Lots of awards were won, and well deserved. There was also a third movie, which (needless to say) was not as important, nor successful, nor necessary. Paramount has packaged the three Godfather films in one five-disc collector's set, with The Godfather Part II spread across two discs, and an extra disc packed with bonus materials. Each film is presented with a clean anamorphic transfer (1.78:1), but source damage is prevalent during the first film. Each also has a fine Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack and an audio commentary by director Francis Ford Coppola. Features on the fifth disc include the documentary A Look Inside, production design and music featurettes, Francis Coppola's Notebook, filmmaker bios, 34 additional scenes, a textual chronology of events, The Family Tree with character and actor bios, two photo galleries, Academy Award footage, trailers, and two Easter eggs. Four folding DVD digipaks in a paperboard slipcase.
—Gregory P. Dorr
